Kajuru prince: What bandits told us before releasing our emir

A source, who was among those who picked up the emir of Kajuru, said the bandits asked for forgiveness before handing over the 85-year-old monarch

A member of the royal house in Kajuru, who does not want his identity disclosed, has narrated the encounter with the bandits who abducted Alhaji Alhassan Adamu, the emir, on Sunday.

Daily Trust had reported how armed men whisked away the emir and 13 other family members from his private residence on Sunday.

• FULL LIST: A toddler, one princess… identities of remaining Kajuru captives
• PHOTOS: Jubilation in Kajuru as Emir returns from Bandits’ den

However, he was released on Monday while other captives were held.

The source, who was among those who picked up the emir, said the bandits asked for forgiveness before handing over the 85-year-old monarch to relatives and members of the emirate council.

The source, who was one of those who received the Sarkin Kajuru, said the bandits had called them through the emir’s phone number shortly after Asr (sunset prayer) and asked them to prepare to receive him.

He said on getting to the location, near Gengere community, three of the bandits; heavily armed and in military uniform, apologised for abducting the emir and sought forgiveness from him.

“We couldn’t believe it. We stood there looking at them while they apologised, saying they had not felt at ease since they abducted him. They told us to go with him while negotiations for the other 13 people will continue tomorrow (Tuesday),” he said.

Meanwhile, residents took to the streets on Monday to jubilate over the release of the Sarkin Kajuru.

Daily Trust gathered that no ransom was paid for the release of the 85-year-old second-class emir who ascended the throne as Sarkin Kajuru in 1978.

At 5:25pm when news filtered of the emir’s release, residents trooped to his residence in jubilation as many tried to get a glimpse of him.

The Galadima of Kajuru Emirate Council and one of the five king makers, Dahiru Abubakar, confirmed that the emir had returned home safely and was in good health.

Another member of the emirate council told our correspondent that no ransom was paid for the emir’s freedom, adding that in the middle of negotiations, the bandits had asked them to prepare to pick-up the emir at an undisclosed location.

“A few minutes later, they called us again and asked us to go and pick him up towards Kajuru Castle. We went with a vehicle and some motorcycles and found him close to a village called Gengere, near Kajuru Castle,” he said.

Daily Trust reports that the bandits had earlier demanded N200m for the release of the emir and others.